Global: Axel Springer leads new transparency push

Axel Springer, one of Europe’s biggest publishing houses, is pushing for greater transparency on programmatic advertising from digital giants Facebook, Google, Apple and Amazon while encouraging their clients to take control of their relationships with the companies.

The publishing house is pushing advertisers to rethink the way they approach campaigns in light of the controversy that surrounded YouTube ad regulations earlier this year. By using the slogan “three T’s” — trust, traffic and technology” is used to diversify across different platforms.

Axel Springer recently teamed up with AppNexus which allows advertisers to use header bidding, advanced programmatic advertising that provides more control.

Chief digital officer of Axel Springer’s sale house Media Impact, Carsten Schwecke, said to Digiday: “That fear which used to exist, and where you couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, is no longer driving the market.

“Instead, it is the momentum around topics like brand safety, [sites like] Breitbart News, the YouTube issue… Advertisers are coming back to us saying how much they appreciate the trust they have in our brands.”

Thai media call for less press restrictions

Thai media organisations have called for the scrapping of a new media restriction bill that would put greater restrictions and heightened the control of the press by the military government

If passed, the new bill will establish a 15 person panel to oversee all press medium in the country. Seven members will be from media organisations while two will be state-appointed officials.

“The bill is essentially designed to facilitate political interference in the media and restrict press freedom,” Thai media organisations said in a joint statement.

The Thai government which rose to power in 2014 has been long criticised for its restrictions on press freedom. The country ranked 142 in the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, falling 6 points.

Airbnb enters print market

Online hospitality and house sharing business Airbnb has teamed up magazine publisher Hearst to create Airbnbmag, a lifestyle publication to highlight unique accommodation and experiences

Using trends and insights gathered from hosts and users on the popular website, the magazine will encourage readers to not act as tourists, but locals in the cities that it features. Australia will be one of the destination featured in issue 1, alongside countries and cities Austin, Bali, Cuba, London, Malibu, Savannah and Seattle.

The magazine will be available from May 23 for $US3.99. The 45 page issue will include broad based advertising from various airline, financial, technology and beauty brands.